The First of Several Farm Bill Steps Were Take This Week

This House Ag Committee approval this week of its 2018 Farm Bill measure is just the first step in a legislative process leading to the final reauthorization that is signed into law.  That point was reiterated by two longtime committee members.

"We mark up the Farm Bill, then, as amended by the body, it'll go to the floor," said Representative Frank Lucas of Oklahoma.

"Maybe there are sufficient votes to pass it. The Senate is working on writing a bill, they'll need 60 votes," added Representative Jim Costa of California.

If both bodies of Congress pass their respective Farm Bill legislation, and there's enough differences in their measures a conference committee would be needed to craft the final bill.

"The product that we start with now may not exactly look like the product that will get to the President of the United States' desk," Lucas said.

With another matter being when Congress approves the Farm Bill, perhaps by the end of this fiscal year.  If not by September, Congress will need to extend the current Farm Bill as a temporary fix.

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